SXSW is an annual music/film/media/design conference—a.k.a. week-long party—held in downtown Austin, Texas and hyped for featuring fresh music from many genres. Crowdsurf these 27 photos and tour this year’s live music events. For free streaming audio, try this Grooveshark playlist.
01Rapper Freeway performs at the Nah Right x The Smoking Section SXSW showcase at The Rumbler Lounge at Peckerheads on March 18. (flickr/athousandgrams)
iTunes mp3 pick: "She Makes Me Feel Allright"
02The Flaming Lips pyschadelic-rocker frontman Wayne Coyne gravitates on glitter towards the front row of the jam-packed Austin Music Hall for the opening night of SXSW 2010. (flickr/tomzinn)
iTunes mp3 pick: "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song"
Flickr set: The Flaming Lips SXSW 2010 by Tom Zinn
03Canadian electronica band Holy Fuck performs at the Pumps and a Bump event hosted by MOKB at The Rumbler Lounge at Peckerheads on March 19. (flickr/electro_blossom)
iTunes mp3 pick: "Milkshake"
myspace.com/holyfuck
04A crowd waits in line to get inside Mowhak for the Forbidden Frontier! bash hosted by The Barbarian Group and StumpleUpon on March 14. (flickr/kxan)
05Drummer Toto Miranda of Austin-local experimental indietronica noise-rockers The Octopus Project plays with dynamite energy at the Forbidden Frontier! bash at Mohawk on March 14. (flickr/kxan)
iTunes mp3 pick: "Exit Counselor"
theoctopusproject.com
06Fans hold up a crowdsurfer at House of Guys during a set by NYC rock band The Beets on March 16. (flickr/themightytrent)
myspace.com/thebeetsbeat
07San Francisco psychedelic garage-rock band Thee Oh Sees rocks amidst fans at 21st Street Co-op on March 16. (flickr/themightytrent)
myspace.com/ohsees
08Aerial view of the Forbidden Frontier! party with The Octopus Project at Mowhak on March 14. (flickr/Life at StumbleUpon)
09Looking for a reaction from the crowd at the Happy Cog’aoke karaoke party on March 13. (flickr/alexharris)
10Dallas-area shoegaze garage rock trio Fungi Girls perform at House of Guys on March 16. (flickr/themightytrent)
myspace.com/fungigirls
11Los Angeles-based dream-pop band Pearl Harbor plays an outdoor set on March 20. (flickr/Crumbs, Chief!)
myspace.com/pearlescentharbour
12Japanese hardcore punk trio Red Bacteria Vacuum rock the Japan Nite Preview show at Typewriter Museum on March 18. (flickr/Crumbs, Chief!)
iTunes mp3 pick: "Envy"
myspace.com/redbacteria
youtube.com/watch?v=vHRTOXTgDm
14Montreal indie-pop band The Lovely Feathers performs at the Soundcheck Magazine 4th Birthday Party at Emo’s Annex on March 17. (flickr/joshc)
myspace.com/thelovelyfeathers
15NYC-based singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten (my cousin!) performs at the March 18th Lawn Party at the French Legation Museum. (flickr/willsnider)
iTunes mp3 pick: "Much More Than That"
myspace.com/sharonvanetten
youtube.com/watch?v=vsjM25eSkEY
16London dream-pop band The XX perform at the Village Voice Day Party at La Zona Rosa on March 19. (flickr/joshc)
myspace.com/thexx
17Malawian-born London-based singer Esau Mwamwaya of electronic tropical fusion group The Very Best performs at the Pitchfork-hosted official SXSW Music Closing Party at Scoot Inn on March 20. (flickr/joshc)
iTunes mp3 pick: "Warm Heart of Africa"
18Mac McCaughan, singer-guitarist of North Carolina indie-rock band Superchunk, performs at the Village Voice Day Party at La Zona Rosa on March 19 (flickr/joshc)
myspace.com/superchunkmusic
19Brian King, guitarist of Vancouver garage-rock noise-pop duo Japandroids, performs at the Death+Taxes party at Red Fez on March 18. (flickr/joshc)
myspace.com/japandroids
20David Prowse, drummer of Vancouver garage-rock noise-pop duo Japandroids, performs at the Death+Taxes party at Red Fez on March 18. (flickr/joshc)
japandroids.com
21Damian Abraham, seminude lead vocalist for Toronto hardcore punk band Fucked Up, sings into the front-row audience at the MWTX party on March 20. (flickr/joshc)
myspace.com/epicsinminutes
22Alexis Krauss, high-energy singer of NYC heavy-beat electronic punk dance-pop duo Sleigh Bells, performs at the Pitchfork-hosted official SXSW Music Closing Party at Scoot Inn. (flickr/joshc)
myspace.com/sleighbellsmusic
youtube.com/watch?v=mQrxpKK09xo
23The Very Best performs with Marina And The Diamonds on March 19. (flickr/athousandgrams)
myspace.com/theverybestmyspace
myspace.com/marinaandthediamonds
24NYC-based Japanese action-comic-punk band Peelander-Z drummer, Akihiko Naruse, crowdsurfs at Typewriter Museum on March 19. (flickr/560)
myspace.com/peelanderz
noisedamage.com/2010/03/23/sxsw-2010-peelander-z/
25Los Angeles alternative-pop rock band Dum Dum Girls performs at the March 18th Lawn Party at the French Legation Museum. (flickr/manisnotabird)
myspace.com/dumdumgirls
26Los Angeles indie-pop singer-songwriter Meiko performs at the Purevolume House event on March 17. (flickr/maryrehak)
iTunes mp3 pick: "Piano Song"
myspace.com/meiko
27The stage floor at Emo’s Annex on March 19. (flickr/ashleepryor)
I didn’t attend SXSW in person, but I sure discovered some great new bands by putting together this photo set. I was especially impressed by what I’ve seen so far of Sleigh Bells, Red Bacteria Vacuum, and The Very Best. What were your favorite SXSW events this year, and what are your favorite photos from this set? View more photo sets at virtualmusic.tv/photojournal/
